Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to poultry coops for handling poultry or fowl such as chickens and the like and wherein the coops are provided with self-dumping side doors that will automatically open when the coops are tilted so that the poultry therein can be automatically discharged onto a desired unit or zone. After the poultry has been discharged, the coops can be returned from their tilted position so that the door will be able to be readily moved to its normal closed position so that the coop can be used over and over again for such purposes. The poultry coop of the present invention is especially suitable for use in automated plants and wherein there will result in improved efficiency as well as minimizing costs in the handling of such poultry.
In addition, the poultry can be handled with less likelihood of bruising the poultry. The poultry coop with the self-dumping side door has a pressure means arranged in engagement therewith for normally biasing or urging the door downwardly, and there is also provided a cam latching mechanism for selectively retaining or maintaining the door in closed position.